


Just a Pearl

by dramaticinsanity



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Background Relationships, F/F, Falling In Love, Gemlings, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-17
Updated: 2020-02-14
Packaged: 2021-02-27 10:35:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,735
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22285711
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dramaticinsanity/pseuds/dramaticinsanity
Summary: First comes love, then you save her from a malfunctioning drilling device, after that sort of accidentally impregnate her. No big deal. Flawless and all according to plan.
Relationships: Pearl/Peridot (Steven Universe)
Comments: 14
Kudos: 54





	1. Prologue

_“You’re just a Pearl! Someone’s shiny toy!”_

_“That’s right… I am a Pearl!”_

Though it was merely a punch on the face, and Peridot had received worse abuse on Homeworld, she felt it to the core of her being. Pearl might as well have landed a direct hit to Peridot’s gem. She couldn’t believe a Pearl stood up to her like that. She couldn’t believe that Pearl had built a robot so fast and so good.

It was unreal.

It was impressive.

It was amazing.

Peridot had a fluttering sensation in her gem as she watched them walk away, excited about Pearl’s performance in the field of mechanical battle. She may have lost, but Pearl won something long ago that was far more valuable - friendship.

Peridot was left out. She was alone. Not one of them was on her side, despite her apparent display of superiority. It dawned on her that she didn’t deserve the leadership she had sought. Leadership wasn’t just about commanding respect or being better than others - it was about setting an example and fighting for what you believed in.

What did Peridot believe?

She had emerged on Homeworld - a distant, fuzzy memory that made her ache with yearning - knowing what she was already supposed to be, supposed to do. What she did now, it went against what she was taught. She initially helped Steven only because he had gained her respect and had given her a chance, shown her kindness, where the others remained defensive and angry toward her.

Peridot had done _nothing_ to earn true loyalty from them. Why should they follow her directions? All she did was shun them and belittle them.

She paced for a little while, contemplating her next course of action. The reasonable thing would be to apologize, to concede that Pearl was more capable, capable of more, than she had presumed. The fluttering worked its way into her form, invading her chest as she thought of Pearl. It wouldn’t be easy - communication wasn’t a strong point for her.  
  


She managed to praise Pearl anyway. In turn, she allows Pearl to show her how to properly operate the archaic yet puzzling Earth tools.

Later, she was eager to prove herself by getting a drill from the Kindergarten. She dug herself a deeper hole by somehow gravely insulting Amethyst. The Crystal Gems were frustrating, their behavior incorrect and unpredictable. One moment Amethyst was joking and laughing with her, causing her to almost start to feel warm and welcome.

Then, she was ignoring Peridot and dismissing her. Amethyst glared from where she was speaking to Pearl when Peridot attempted to get her attention, since she could just be distracted. Amethyst looked away, and Peridot caught Pearl’s eye. 

Steven went over to Amethyst after explaining to Peridot what she did wrong. Peridot felt smaller than she already was. She curled up against the fence post, fuming. She heard footsteps and perked up.

It was Pearl. Instead of disappointment, Peridot’s cheeks heated and a nervous fluttering began in her abdomen. What were these new, funny feelings? She clenched a clump of grass in her hand, trying to will them away with no success.

Pearl kneeled in front of her and her fingers brushed the contraption that limited Peridot’s radius. Peridot’s fingers twitched, and she had to tense her form to keep from touching Pearl’s hand out of curiosity. How would it feel if she held it in her own, as though they were equals? Pearl tilted her head and frowned, unaware of Peridot’s inner turmoil.

“I do think this is a little excessive, and I’m afraid she got the idea from something I said while you were in Steven’s bathroom,” Pearl remarked, “but what you said to Garnet was uncalled for… even if you were trying to be polite.”

“How can she not be ashamed, being like that in front of everyone?”

“They care deeply for each other er - Ruby and Sapphire. That isn’t something to hide.”

“How can two such different gems find common enough ground to be in a constant state of one-ness?”

“Love.”

“Huh?”

“Love is when you want to be around someone more than usual, do everything with them, for them, tell them what’s on your mind. You want to put them above all else, especially your own needs and wants. They make you feel like… like you’re… their entire world… and they’re yours. You trust them with all you are.”

“That sounds highly inconvenient,” Peridot said. “I don’t intend to consistently insult you, you know, I just state facts, I observe and - and I’m not an expert with your irregularly shifting feelings. I can conclude that none of you _love_ me… save for Steven, but I’m quite certain he’s getting tired of my actions.”

Pearl sighed. “Sorry we’re hard on you - it’s just been difficult for us all, railing against your displays of Homeworld’s oppressive standards. We’re not going to let ourselves be shamed for who we are Peridot, and what we fight for.”

“I - I don’t get - any of this! You Crystal Gems are so confusing and temperamental.”

Some time passed, and Peridot was configuring the controls on the drill. She was in a dark mood, her movements rough and jerking. She knew she wasn’t handling it like a proper technician, but she didn’t care at the moment. She thought about the gems. Her conversations with them played on loop in her head as she desperately tried to figure out what she was doing to upset them and how to fix it. She might be an under-resourced runt, but she excelled at fixing things. Given enough deliberation, she was sure she could find a way.

The drill went haywire without warning as sparks flew from a panel. Peridot was thrown off. Steven grabbed onto the drill, but he was helpless to stop it. Garnet and Amethyst failed as well. Peridot was able to shove Amethyst out of the way before she got crushed, then she had to be saved by Garnet. 

Pearl wasn’t looking. She was standing near the side of the barn, pinching the bridge of her nose, apparently lost in thought. Garnet and Amethyst were arguing. The drill came right for her as though it hungered to destroy. Peridot didn’t think. She ran. Her leash got caught, but the inferior Earth material was no match for her gem strength, even though it was less than average. It ripped, and she flung herself at Pearl. 

For a moment, she was unsure what happened. Pearl was beneath her, eyes clamped shut. Peridot panted, and her gem burned from the exertion. Pearl blinked and raised herself. They gazed at each other in the pale sunlight.

“Peridot?”

Peridot was frozen, unable to remember how to move her limbs. 

“You… saved me… thank you.”

Pearl leaned forward. Peridot’s eyes widened when she felt Pearl’s gem make contact with hers. Peridot’s entire form was buzzing, alive. She wanted to do - to do something. She wanted to do something forbidden.

_It’s allowed here. No one would bat an eye. Then again, they aren’t particularly fond of her. If she fused with Pearl somehow they might just hate her more._

_Don’t fuse, don’t fuse, don’t fuse._

_Oh how she wanted to, how she ached._

The feelings welled inside her, spilling over the brim. Tears streaked down her face and she slightly shook from the onslaught. She didn’t know how to release it. Her gem throbbed. There was one way - one less not allowed way. Pearl most likely wasn’t viable, most Pearls weren’t because it was preferable for them to be commissioned and grown in the ground. Peridot herself was low resource, and the chances she could successfully donate were abysmally low. None would have to know that she did this.

She closed her eyes and passed her overwhelming affections through her gem. Pearl flinched, her eyebrows furrowing, but she didn’t pull away. It was obvious that she had no idea that Peridot was transferring. A weight inside of her sank - she shouldn’t have done that. If they were both somehow viable, Peridot had _really_ filled her.

Then, Pearl cupped her cheeks. Her hands seemed impossibly warm. Peridot felt a strange sensation on her lips. Her pupils darted downward. Pearl’s mouth was on hers - why was this happening? It was nice. Pearl slipped her tongue between Peridot’s lips, even more surprising. Peridot grabbed Pearl’s shoulders. 

Peridot heard strange noises, and it took her a few seconds to realize they were coming from herself. She keened into Pearl’s mouth and scooted closer, in order to press their bodies together. It wasn’t fusion. In some ways, Peridot thought she might like this better anyway. Peridot’s hands roamed, stroking Pearl’s sides and chest. Peridot grabbed Pearl’s ribbon and repeatedly wrung it and tugged at it as she shivered with enthusiasm. 

She rocked on her heels, her form sliding against Pearl’s. The action pushed her flat on her back, and Peridot braced herself with her hands flat on the dirt. The angle was changed, still pleasurable as their lips smacked in the quiet, over and over. Peridot did her own exploration with her tongue pushing past Pearl’s lips, though she was uncertain if she was supposed to find anything. Regardless, the process was enjoyable. It did wonders to settle the storm that had been brewing inside of her.

She never wanted it to stop. However, Pearl broke the rhythmic mouth pressing. Peridot murmured her name. She tilted her head and tried to resume the ritual with Pearl. She was disappointed when Pearl placed her hand on Peridot’s chest to stop her. 

“Wh - what is it? Did - did I offend you?” 

_Was that her voice?_ It cracked, and it was raspy. She looked at her hands, which were shaking. Her cheeks remained damp from when she had been crying in front of Pearl no less. Had anyone else seen? She found she didn’t care what they saw.

_She didn’t feel shame._ Her cheeks flushed as she recalled with clarity what Pearl had said before, about love. It made more sense now. It made too much sense. 

“I think I love you,” Peridot whispered mostly to herself. She shuddered and sniffled.

Pearl seemed to have been zoned out as she shook her head and blinked twice. “What - did you say something?”

Recovering from her stupor, Peridot blurted, “That if you died I wouldn’t miss you!”

Pearl’s eyes narrow, and she angrily pouted. She scoffed, “Great to know I’ve made such an impression on you.”

Unceremoniously, Pearl shoved her off. She stood in a sharp, graceful movement and wipes away dirt from her fancy outfit. Coldly she murmured, “This was a mistake, that won’t happen again. Forget about it.”

Pearl was stiff as a board as she glided out of sight. Peridot saw the other gems cleaning up the mess made by drill. Amethyst glanced at Pearl. She looked at Peridot with a puzzled expression. She seemed to recall she was supposed to be mad at Peridot and averted her gaze while crossing her arms. 

_There she went, messing up again._ Peridot slammed a fist into the ground. Why couldn’t she do anything right with these gems? She openly engaged in some kind of love ritual with Pearl, yet she managed to ruin everything with a single sentence. She wished she could take it back and just admit her feelings. Peridot felt so stupid, she didn’t even know why she said that awful thing that wasn’t remotely true. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


She hated herself. 

  
  
  


She hated Homeworld’s design making her act in a disagreeable manner. She wanted to hate the Crystal Gems and Earth, but she was coming to realize she was close to ‘loving’ them. Why did it have to afflict her? Why couldn’t she stay detached, when things were simple and straightforward? Now, she had everything to lose and little to gain. 

  
  
  


Peridot distracted herself from how upset she was by recording an extended apology to Amethyst. When she presented it, Amethyst barely reacted and called her a nerd - she still didn’t know what that meant - but based on Steven’s praise it seemed like progress. She felt she could walk a little taller.

Over a few days of work, and Pearl smiled at her. Pearl smiled when she assisted her with the engineering of the drill and when Peridot sang. She tried to make Peridot laugh. She seemed relaxed in Peridot’s company. Did it mean Pearl was no longer mad? 

At one point, Peridot confessed, “I didn’t mean it.”

Pearl startled and faced her. “What?”

“I - I would be distraught if something terrible befell your gem. I’ve become - er, accustomed to your presence; additionally, you are intellectually and emotionally stimulating.” 

_Not to mention pleasing to the eye and had a lovely voice._ Peridot decided not to mention those things. She didn’t want Pearl to think she was trying to win her over with flattery.

Peridot continued when Pearl stared without giving a response. 

“D - don’t tell the others, okay, but I think you - you’re my - my,” Peridot interrupted her own pathetic stuttering. She made one of those throat clearing noises while she arranged her thoughts in the correct order. “Pearl, I mean to say, _you’re_ my favorite. _If_ I’d grown fond of you crystal clods, as far as anyone knows I haven’t!”

Pearl sat ramrod straight. Her previously half-lidded eyes went round as her pupils grew. They gleamed with emotion that Peridot failed to identify. She didn’t know whether what she had uttered was received how she intended.

Pearl breathed, “You’re not just saying that?”

“Why would I? There is nothing to gain from exposing the truth, yet I have chosen to ah - put my trust in your judgement of me?”

Pearl’s fingers curled where they’re rested on her legs. She continued to look at Peridot with an unwavering stare, and it was frankly unsettling. Peridot felt like she had just blown up Homeworld in the name of the Crystal Gems with the look she was being given, and she didn’t know what that meant.

“Why - uh - why can’t I tell them?”

“Do you want to?”

Pearl fidgeted. “Kind of.”

“I suppose that would be alright,” Peridot sighed. For all she knew, they might have seen her lip-to-lip fusion adjacent thing with Pearl. Nothing Pearl told them could be worse.

Since she’s thinking of it, Peridot asked, “Is there a name for that bizarre mouthing ritual? You weren’t trying to fuse with me, right?”

Pearl was in the midst of standing. She paused. “The what?”

“You - you know the - the -” Peridot placed her thumbs against the tips of her two middle fingers and simulated the motions by pressing the fingers of each hand to the other.

“Oh, that.” A weird, wavering laugh escaped her. “That was kissing. You can give someone a single kiss, or you can make out. Like that. I uh - like I said - I wasn’t - I didn’t really think about what I was doing - I was grateful! Yes, I was showing my gratitude since you rescued me. Though it was silly, I probably would’ve been poofed at worst.”

Pearl waved her arms around throughout the explanation, her voice rose two octaves, and the muscles in her face appeared to be tensed. Peridot was positively hopeless at reading the errant body language of the Crystal Gems - each one vastly different in how they express themselves on top of the ever growing pile of issues.

Peridot considered what Pearl said. “Should I kiss Garnet? She made sure I didn’t get hit by the drill - in fact Amethyst should probably kiss me because -”

“No! I mean. It’s too late. That would be awkward.”

“Oh, okay.”’

“Actually you should only kiss someone you love - or if you like them a whole lot,” Pearl added. “But I - I wasn’t thinking straight, I acted on impulse. I apologize.”

“No need to be sorry, it was incredibly pleasant. I haven’t felt a sensation equal to the privilege of being granted this ‘make out’ ritual. Thank you for introducing it to me.”

Pearl’s eye twitched. She was acting strange, even for her. “ _Stars above._ Um. You’re welcome.”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Peridot stayed where she was as Pearl approached Garnet, Amethyst, and Steven. She watched her mouth move and the gestures of her hands. She was so pretty - no, gorgeous against the backdrop of the countryside. In Peridot’s eyes she outshone the brightest stars, she was more alluring than the most fruitful colony.

The others turned to look at her. Pearl was biting her bottom lip, looking as though someone plucked a cluster of stars from the sky and bent the laws of physics and light to place them in her eyes. It seemed like they were talking about her - what Pearl just mentioned wanting to tell them - but Peridot didn’t know how to handle the stares.

She gave a tiny wave.

Pearl grinned, a wide grin that made her eyes sparkle, her fingers meeting to shape a tent. Peridot’s face flushed, having that expression directed at her. Garnet also smiled, the first that Peridot could recall seeing on her visage. Amethyst reached up to slap Pearl on the back while smirking at Peridot. They were all so… odd.

Peridot almost ended up ruining the camaraderie when she contacted Yellow Diamond. Thankfully she went against everything she ever knew, was meant to know, when she confronted her Diamond in defense of Earth. It was pretty much her whole plan, she just hadn’t expected her to be so disagreeable and irrational. She really _hated_ the planet, and Peridot couldn’t imagine why, it was amazing! She didn’t want to go back!

As that realization dawned, there came another. She was officially a Crystal Gem, and there _was no going back_. Pearl happily laughed and embraced her, while the others cheered. It took every ounce of Peridot’s remaining sanity to not initiate a make out - she figured any chance she had in that area was long gone. 

Peridot didn’t see Pearl much after that. Steven bubbled the Cluster, Malachite was defeated, Peridot discovered she wouldn’t be claiming the barn as her territory alone. She eventually made relative peace with Lapis Lazuli. They tricked the rubies - actually searching for Jasper as though Peridot was chopped coprolite - into leaving. The Crystal Gems vanished through the warp pad, and as the weeks passed - except for a couple of brief visits - it felt like she was back to square one.

They left her there to go on with their business, as though she was a forgotten toy. 

She cried at night as she gazed at the indifferent stars, because she wished Pearl was there with her. Even if they weren’t fused, Peridot was sure she would feel complete. She yearned for the interesting conversation, for the touch of Pearl’s hand on hers.

Lapis curled by her side in the grass. She silently patted her arm. It was unclear whether Lapis knew what afflicted her, but despite her thorny attitude she was kind enough not to pry.

One evening, she recorded a message on her new tablet. It was similar to the message she had on her other recording device, but it was broken by Lapis. 

“Log Date… who on Earth cares.”

“Pearl is… fascinating. She has clawed from the bottom to become something else. I do not understand... How she can walk around like that, talk like that. But I can’t stop thinking. About her. About us. About everything I want to be with her, for her.”

“I could listen to her for hours. I used to think... _she mustn't notice me watching_. She would think I’m insane or… what’s the word? Perverted? Something like that. She tried to amuse me, impress me. Why? She was already competing for my full attention… I couldn’t let her win until we dealt with the Cluster.”

“With little to distract me… it hurts and it hurts. I miss her every moment to the next. Despite her being a warp away, I’m too much of a coward to initiate contact. Would she let me hold her hand? Would she let me kiss her again? Would she want me to fuse with her? These thoughts still frighten me, though not for the same reasons, as I have grown and learned and accepted.”

“I feel… warm and funny around her. Not haha funny, more like ladybugs are flying around in the cavity of my abdomen funny. Being on Earth has made me soft on a Pearl of all things. I like it. I almost told her I loved her. Maybe she heard me but doubted she heard it right, either way, I don’t think she likes me like that.”

“If I have interpreted bits of conversation correctly, I believe she may have been in love with that Rose Quartz… perhaps still loves her. How can there be any room for someone like me? A Peridot in unrequited love with… her. A Pearl so unique and special. It doesn’t matter what they’d say, back where I came from… this is my home, and none of them would think of it as much of a problem, nor do I.”

“I suffer to feel this way. It must be insane, but I’d rather love and ache than be empty. Empty like I was before, I just didn’t realize my purpose was emptiness.”

“Peridot out.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bit of a detour and not very shippy sorry ^^'
> 
> Content Warning:  
> Mentions of Past Miscarriage and Forced Sterilization
> 
> Additional Info:  
> Minor "off-screen" Lapis Lazuli/Amethyst mentioned, implied past Jasper/Peridot

“Lapis? Lapis Lazuli?”

The Crystal Gems would kill her for losing Lapis, Peridot was certain of that. Lapis could be a bit volatile, and it was a bad plan to not keep track of her.

Peridot searches the woods. She freezes when she hears a pained grunt. She races toward the sound, panic coursing through her. She parts a bunch of bushes. Lapis flinches, like a kid caught with their hand in the cookie jar. Peridot’s eyes pop out of her face. Lapis has a different outfit - Peridot concludes she must have reformed. She’s traded the dress for a skirt and leggings. Her top has long sleeves to the elbows and covers her belly. A large bow seems to be at the back of her waist. When Lapis slightly turns, there’s a split at the back of her top down to the skirt line. 

Lapis blows hair out of her eyes and says, “No worries, I just… fell when I tried to fly. Powers aren’t back up to snuff yet.”

Peridot ignores that, because it’s not as though gems suffer much from a tumble. 

“What are those?! Nevermind, rhetorical question!”

Lapis Lazuli’s body is protectively covering a set of geodes, shiny in the shaded darkness of the forest. There are two blue and three purple, regular sized with a healthy sheen. Peridot wheezes, uncertain what to do with this discovery. Given Lazuli’s secretive nature, Peridot isn’t shocked that Lapis managed to disguise that she was carrying gemlings. She must’ve ran off because the situation would have been apparent when she was about to poof. Peridot crosses her arms and regains some composure as Lapis glares at her.

“So, who’s the donor?”

Considering the limited options, that answer is obvious. However, she wants to hear Lapis say it. Lapis must know this, because she somehow glares even harder. 

“Amethyst.”

“When did that happen?!”

Lapis simply shrugs. “We’ve been fooling around. I guess we were both more emotionally invested than I thought.”

Peridot steps into the nook, the bushes flicking closed behind her. “How was I not aware of this? When did you - I feel like a Pining Hearts camp counselor when they find a pair of teenagers trying to get naughty by the lake!”

Lapis scoffs, “You’re not my keeper. I’ve learned how to sneak away from you. Honestly, you act like I’m a supernova waiting to happen.”

“You have to admit you - I mean you stole the ocean -”

“One time -”

“You tried to kill them all -”

“One time! So did you!”

“You trapped Jasper - an incredibly powerful Quartz soldier of great renown - in a fusion under the aforementioned sea!”

“... It sounds like you’re afraid of me.”

“Anyone with half a gem would be,” Peridot mutters.

“If that’s what you think, maybe I should just leave.”

“And what live in Amethyst’s room?”

“Maybe…”

“Did you have gemlings with her just to -”

“Of course not!” Lapis hugs the eggs closer to her body.    
  


Peridot shakes her head. She rubs her face and chuckles. 

“What’s funny?”

“It’s just… what are the chances! Amethyst emerged on Earth after the rebellion… of course she wasn’t sterilized. You seem like Mid Era One, if not Early Era One, before that mass sterilization began. Against all the odds… you’ve met and done this. I just find the circumstances amusing - if you understood the statistics, you would too.”

Lapis rolls her eyes. She remarks, “You know a lot about this. When I implied the possibility of gemlings to Amethyst when I realized I was expecting, she had no idea what I was trying to tell her.”

“Er. Right. You’ve been out of touch.” Peridot elaborated, “Gemling production was restarted in Era Two due to lack of resources. As a technician, I’ve been directly involved. I don’t think I’m viable myself though, especially as I… miscarried, once.”

“You -” Lapis glances at her brood in horror. “I didn’t know they could be lost.”

“Your geodes appear very healthy, don’t worry. Mine insisted on being expelled early and broke open… with… shards…”

Lapis frowns. “I’m so sorry.”

Peridot was relieved at the time when she reformed after poofing to release the geodes, and no Crystal Gems were coming for her head. If she wasn’t just non-viable, the stress and physical assault to her form could’ve been the cause. She has resolved never to mention this to the gems. If they regret their relentless attacks at all when she was merely attempting to escape a doomed planet, it would likely make them feel ten times worse. She has no proof it wasn’t entirely her own poor design from being Era Two. 

Peridot shrugs and glances over her shoulder as she tries to suppress the unwanted images flashing behind her eyes. Garnet poofing her would’ve prematurely ended the geode growth anyway, and if she had begged for mercy because she was carrying, Peridot doesn’t know if they would’ve stopped to listen long enough. It hadn’t worked for trying to let them know of the threat to their beloved planet.

Peridot recalls that Pearl had been sneaking up behind her. Would she have gotten her spear through Peridot before Peridot could blast her? It had been aimed directly at her gem. In quiet moments, Peridot replays that scene - along with the drill incident - over and over. That she had been ready to do whatever it takes to escape those rebels horrifies her now. There’s nothing to be done but move forward, making the best of the turnaround. 

Sometimes bad things happen. Peridot doesn’t blame them for protecting their Earth - they couldn’t have known any better. During the war, sterilization was already taking place, and Peridot is certain part of the unspoken motivation for spreading it beyond just lower class and common gems was to prevent countless geodes from being destroyed through incidental violence. Most Earth borne gems that came to Homeworld weren’t even allowed to be privy of the knowledge that gemlings once existed.

“It’s for the best. They were - I was carrying for someone whose offspring we wouldn’t want around, I imagine. Plus, the last thing I needed at the time were helpless gemlings to look after.” Peridot continues, “At least it means I probably didn’t accidentally become a donor for -”

Peridot snaps her mouth closed with a surge of terror. She did not just admit that. Lazuli’s eyes become round. She strokes one of her geodes and turns away, snorting. Thankfully, she doesn’t comment on Peridot’s slip up. She doesn’t like to think of Pearl - thinking of her leads to envisioning her. Peridot wants to be near her, at least. A deep part of her surges with jealousy, wishes she and Pearl were the ones with gemlings on the way. She fights to not let it show on her face. 

Peridot reaches for a geode. “Let’s get these to safety…”

Lapis growls and curls her body. She pauses as she seems to recognize her exaggerated reaction toward her roommate and friend. “Sorry.”

Peridot waves her off. “It’s instinct.”

If their roles were reversed, Peridot probably would’ve gone to the extent of actually biting her, due to lack of a weapon or raw physical strength. She hands off the two blue eggs to Peridot while carrying the three purple ones herself. Peridot raises an eyebrow at the choice, but she doesn’t point it out. Were it Peridot, she would rather carry obvious Pearl toned geodes over her own. There’s a lot of self worth issues to go around, it seems. She is delicate in handling the precious geodes. She can’t have her own, but she’s going to make sure Lazuli’s damn well get the best care possible. 

When they reach the barn, there comes the matter of what to do about Amethyst. She’s tempted to warp over and let her know, as Amethyst is her friend. She’s desperately curious as to how she would react - Peridot can’t imagine how she’d feel about it. However, it’s up to Lapis. 

“Are you going to tell her?”

Lapis doesn’t look up from where she’s doting on her unborn offspring. “Eventually. I want to wait until they hatch. Don’t want to get her hopes up in case…”

“Hm. Sensible.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Chapter should be up next Friday v.v


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Switches to Pearl’s POV, which will carry to the last chapter as well. It’s Pearl centric, and Peridot doesn’t physically appear. It’s also short, but the last chapter is longer by comparison. Final update should be the Friday after next.

A few weeks ago…

Pearl is tired.

Connie swings her sword, and Pearl finds she can barely keep up with the movements to defend herself. Forget about going on the offensive. Her limbs take extra seconds to obey her commands, and she doesn’t know the reason. Her gem isn’t cracked. She feels like her body has recently been strained by the prolonged state of an unstable fusion.

That definitely didn’t happen.

“Pearl? Pearl? Pearl!”

Pearl’s eyes snap open. She’s laying on the couch. She rubs her gem. The gem itself is hot, and the area around it hurts. Yet, there are no cracks at all. Steven is staring at her in concern, a baffled Connie at his side.

“What’s going on? Weren’t we training?”

Connie rubs the back of her neck. “You… fell asleep. Right as you were blocking me, your sword against mine. You just… conked out. And you wouldn’t wake up. Thankfully Lion showed up out of nowhere, I got Steven and he carried you to the warp pad.”

Pearl flops over the arm of the couch. Her vision is blurred, and every movement feels like she’s making it through a pool of molasses. “Weird… I…”

Fingers snap in front of her nose. She glares, then she realizes she must’ve dozed off again. 

Steven says, “I tried healing your gem… but I don’t think anything is wrong with it.”

  
  
  


From there, things keep getting weirder.

The following week, the fatigue dissipates somewhat, though she doesn’t have as much energy as she used to possess. She is overcome with the urge to find somewhere that’s comfortable and secluded. 

Lion doesn’t appreciate her curling in his mane.

Amethyst shoves her away when Pearl attempts to wrap her hair around herself.

Trying to sit on Garnet’s head is just awkward, but Garnet silently bears her shuffling.

Pearl has no Earthly idea why she’s acting like this, and she doesn’t know how to make it stop. She’s driven, until she finally claims Steven and Connie’s massive pillow fort when they leave for a moment. When Steven returns, he just sighs in resignation.

Connie remarks, “At least she seems… happy?”

  
  
  


The mood swings are by far the worst thus far. It’s a disorienting blur of being on cloud nine about something, practically giddy, only for another aspect to bring tears in her eyes. She gets enraged for the stupidest reasons. Each day seems to pile on the stress, and she has to make a concentrated effort to find peace. 

Amethyst remarks, “P… you feeling okay? You’re nuttier than usual.”

Pearl screeches, “Do I look okay to you Amethyst? Do I?!”

She grabs a huge couch cushion and chucks it. The object flies over Amethyst as she ducks and thuds against the wall. Amethyst groans with exasperation.

“I’m going into my room. Let me know when you’re done being… whatever this is.”

  
  
  
  
  


Her gem still hurts.

A lot.

She grinds her palm into it, but that doesn’t help. At least it doesn’t make it worse. She lays in her nest - _ why is she still using this fort?! _ \- with a cold pack on her gem and feels immensely sorry for herself. The most worrying part is she has no idea what is causing her behavior, when or if it will come to end, or how to control it. She just has to hope that she isn’t going to completely ruin her relationships. She doesn’t know what she’d do without them.

  
  


She has to have faith they won’t abandon her. Is she somehow becoming corrupted? Can corruption be transferred, and she didn’t notice it happen?

  
  


She hears Steven murmur to Garnet, “Gems can’t get sick can they?”

“Not that I know of. I am unable to determine Pearl’s affliction.”

“Maybe it’s like some kind of mental sickness,” Connie suggests. “We could get her a psychologist.”

“That’s an idea… but I think not yet.”

“Yeah… I don’t know how we’d explain all the gem stuff, anyway.”

Pearl can picture Steven’s expression as he says, “Gosh... I just hope it’s not a deadly disease. What are we gonna do?!”

  
  
  
  


The panic increases when Pearl’s gem cracks. It’s an unforeseen fluke. Her mood swings have mostly disappeared at the time of this occurrence. Her gem still troubles her, but it isn’t an impediment. She takes Connie and Steven on a mission to track down corrupted gem monsters. Though she warns them to contact her for help - 

All she does is shoot lasers from her spear. It requires a little more energy from her gem than just summoning the weapon. Immediately upon firing, a weird and familiar sensation shoots through her gem, and she loses grasp on her form as she glitches.

Steven is able to heal her, of course, but that doesn’t account for the emotional damage. Steven doesn’t stop looking at her with concern, even when they return to the temple. Naturally, he tells Garnet and Amethyst what happened.

“I healed her good as new! But I still don’t understand what happened - I didn’t see her get hit.”

Pearl wipes her forehead. There are beads of sweat on her. She decides to attempt summoning her weapon. Everyone turns as she releases a cry of agony and collapses on the floor. Something simpler? 

Her image projector fails. She can’t create holograms. She even tries shapeshifting. Each time, the action causes pain to shoot through her gem. Garnet and Amethyst kneel beside her. There are tears in Steven’s eyes, and Connie beside him looks very alarmed.

Amethyst asks, “What’s going on P?”

“I can’t - I can’t use any powers or summon my weapon. It - It hurts… my gem… I can’t...”

Steven questions, “But I healed your gem - why is it -”

Their guesses would be as good as hers. “I don’t. I don’t have a clue Steven. I don’t know what’s happening to me.”

She feels crowded. Sweat drips down her face, as the attention becomes overwhelmed. The walls seem to close around her. She scrambles out of their circle. Since she can’t put them in her gem, she gathers each piece of the fort - with her waned strength it takes longer - and eventually drags it all into her room. She shuts the door. She shuts them out.

She curls up in a tight ball in a dry corner of the room beneath the fort and sobs into the palms of her hands. Pearl wishes Rose were here - though her unrequited feelings have finally begun to fade, maybe she would know what to do. At the very least, she’d probably know just what to say to make Pearl feel better about herself.

Pearl has some faith these symptoms won’t be permanent - as the others came and went, pretty much - but what if it is this time? She’ll be useless. What good is she, if she can’t fight? If she can’t even utilize her baseline abilities? She forces herself to recall Peridot, who lacks any powers beyond her intellect and newfound metallokinesis. She isn’t cut off, feeling sorry for herself. She’s been training and gaining insight. Pearl knows she can be dramatic at times, but it’s been a while since she fell apart like this. She hates it. 

She knows what they’d say - that they love her, not what she can do. The problem is she’d be helpless - if more gems from Homeworld come, if they need help against corrupted gems. She can’t protect the ones she loves. Pearl spaces out imagining someone’s arms around her offering all the comfort in the world - the form pressed to her is smaller than expected. 


	4. Chapter 4

She figures out from Steven’s calendar when she emerges that she’d locked herself away for about a week. The bulge which suddenly appeared in her abdomen is significant and noticeable to the eye. It’s not so huge as to look very awkward on her thin frame, but anyone who sees her won’t miss it. She cups it and wistfully sighs. She looks up at the picture of Rose.

It seems like the least likely explanation - but going over the symptoms in her head and considering the shape of her body, she has come to the conclusion that she’s expecting. She can’t fathom how it’s possible - she isn’t sure  _ what _ exactly Rose did to get pregnant, and she doesn’t want to know the details. She’s not so naive as to not have some idea how humans conceive their young. It’s just too disturbing to think about in depth. Pearl certainly knows she did no such thing.

The only other option is she’s somehow turning into a corruption. She doesn’t know how that could’ve been set in motion either.

She moseys out to the beach. The wind and the sounds of the ocean are calming. The pain in her gem has finally disappeared, there are no more weird urges, mood swings, but her gem still defies her to use her powers. She pauses. Scratch that, there’s suddenly a gnawing ache in her stomach region. She has the desire for something she’s  _ never _ experienced since seeing Pink consume the fake gem shards - 

Pearl wants to eat. She’s hungry. Specifically, she wants minerals. She digs at the base of the cliffs, and she manages to find some rocks that she instinctively knows contain value. She closes her eyes and groans low.

“Am I really going to do this?”

It’s inevitable, she’ll have to give in to yet another symptom sooner or later. She shovels the rocks into her mouth, crunching away, careless of the dirt and sand that goes along with that. She can spit it out later. 

“Er, hey P. Good to see ya out of your room, but is there something you wanna tell us?”

Pearl pauses, caught in the act. She drops the minerals and recoils. She’s horrified in the aftermath as always, but it really can’t be helped. Worst of all, she’s still ravenous - at least she assumes that’s the sensation. Gems don’t actually feel the need to eat like this, usually, but those who like to eat like Amethyst can experience specific cravings.

Amethyst’s gaze is not on her eating though, rather it’s on her belly. She leans back on her haunches and places a protective hand on it. Logically, she knows Amethyst won’t harm the life she somehow knows is growing inside her. Irrationally, she wishes Amethyst would take a few steps back.

Steven clings to Amethyst’s arm and wails, “She’s going to die Amethyst! Noooo!”

Pearl rolls her eyes. “Don’t be so dramatic. I’ll be fine.”

Amethyst asks, “How do you know? Are you really… er… you know…” 

Amethyst gestures at her roundness.

“I think so. I…”

Pearl doesn’t know how to explain her feelings.

Steven sniffles. “I - I understand if you want this b - but why didn’t you tell us you were going to have a baby -”

“A little warning would have been nice,” Amethyst interjects, glaring daggers.

Roughly, Pearl replies, “I didn’t realize it before today. I - I don’t - I didn’t  _ plan _ this. I didn’t - I can’t recall what I could’ve done to -”

“You didn’t get wild oats sown in your fields or whatever?”

“Honestly, Amethyst,” Pearl huffs. “You know me. Do you really think I’d just… get knocked up by a human without giving any kind of hint?”

“Ugh. No.”

Steven glances between them. He says, “Could it have been a gem?”

They turn to him. Pearl begins, “I ha - I mean there’s no - but I’ve heard - well -”

Pearl’s mind turns over as a dusty memory hits her with the force of a Diamond’s fist. She had glanced over archive files, heard whispering that gems were once able to pass their information from one to another, form smaller versions of themselves. 

“I think it could be possible… extremely rare but… how could I have done something that I don’t know how to do?”

Amethyst chuckles and remarks, “Hey, apparently humans get pregnant on accident all the time, even if they know how to, ya know, do the thang.”

Pearl throws up her arms in frustration. “But I didn’t  _ do _ anything!”

An image flashes in her mind - a reel of her and Peridot, in close proximity. Their gems are touching, then they’re kissing. It doesn’t seem like anything that could be a prelude to carrying underdeveloped gems in her body, but at this point she can’t rule it out.

  
  
  


Eventually, Pearl decides she should go back in the temple and rest before her gem cracks again. She gathers a ton of rocks, and Amethyst in a display of helpfulness gets her a few containers. The answer to all of her problems officially introduces itself the moment they step foot in the temple. 

Pearl falls to her knees as a searing pain like no other lances through her gem. Her abdomen clenches, and she screams. Amethyst drops the containers and rushes to her side.

“Is it time?! Should I get Garnet? Are they just false contractions? I watched some videos once because I was curious and really bored -”

Pearl mutters, “Quiet. You’re going to - ugh - hnng - NYARRGH - going to stress me out, babbling like that, please just give me space.”

Amethyst and Steven hold each other’s hands as they apprehensively watch her. The contractions continue for several minutes. She loses track of time. The room starts to spin, and there’s a tingle deep in her gem. She senses what’s about to happen, and she knows in her gem it’s necessary. She also knows the other two probably aren’t going to take it well. She looks up at them tearfully.

“I’m sorry, don’t freak out, about what is going to happen in a few seconds. This is just a natural part of the - errrgh - process, I think.”

  
  


She gives up her form to free whatever is inside of her by poofing and retreats into her gem to recuperate. After such a grueling experience, she deserves it. She knows she shouldn’t take her time, leaving them alone with the offspring she was carrying.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


When she reforms, she lands gracefully on the couch that’s been devoid of cushions since she stole them into her room. She shifts to the floor and takes stock of her surroundings. Garnet turns from the counter.

She says, “Welcome back. Also, congratulations.”

Garnet faces the stairway. Pearl cautiously makes her way over there. Steven and Amethyst are sitting on the floor, Lion is laying on the bed with his paws over the edge. A basket is between Steven and Amethyst. Inside are five round, shiny objects. Two are pink, one is peach, and the remaining two are green.

_ Green - because of course they’re green. God damnit what did Peridot do to her?! Does she even know any more than Pearl does? _

Pearl plucks a pink one and strokes the surface. The intense love she feels for these egg-like spheres nearly topples her. She knows in her gem these are hers, that she made them. She rests her cheek on it and closes her eyes.

“You laid eggs like a bird,” Amethyst says, amusement clear in her voice. “Sort of. At least you didn’t have to push them out of your -”

Pearl firmly cuts her off, “Amethyst.”

She agrees. She’s glad she didn’t have to push them out of anything. That would have been traumatizing beyond belief. She finds organic processes extremely off putting, Pink Diamond and Rose related grievances aside. 

Pearl becomes a bit of a nuisance for the next two and a half weeks. Her protective, motherly instincts, already heightened from raising Steven, increase tenfold. It gets to the point that she whips out two spears and jabs at anyone who comes close. She apologizes later, when she regains her reasonable senses. She shivers, disturbed that her wayward instincts caused her to turn against those who usually have her utmost trust. 

There is much excitement when three of the eggs hatch. The darkest pink one hatches first, resulting in an adorable tiny Pearl who fits in the palm of her hand. The little Pearl’s eyes are closed, and she barely moves, but she is undoubtedly alive. The soft pink and peach ones hatch at the same time, rocking and falling off the couch before revealing their contents. Amethyst picks up the Peridot, who is a light, gentle shade of green with hair almost the same color as Pearl’s - possibly a little lighter. It’s hard to tell, with the new gems being so small. Pearl places the newest Pearl on her lap with the other one, and they snuggle close to each other.

The Peridot suddenly squeals and tries to escape, the most action she’s seen of them so far.

“Dude, you and Peridot did the nasty? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“For the last time Amethyst, I did  _ not  _ have sex!”

“Maybe some kind of weird gem sex and you didn’t realize? Maybe they do that on Homeworld now, you have been gone from there for thousands of years.”

Pearl is annoyed, but it’s impossible to deny that something didn’t occur with Peridot to make this happen, albeit unintentional. For goodness sake, Amethyst is holding the proof in her hand. Pearl takes the squirming Peridot, who unexpectedly goes limp in her hand, almost causing Pearl to drop her. 

  
  


It’s late evening when the pale green one finally hatches. It had gained several cracks earlier when the others hatched, but it stopped moving for a while. Pearl had been making a bassinet for the little gems, so Amethyst is egg sitting at the time. Of course she can’t keep her hands to herself, and this Peridot doesn’t appreciate it anymore than the last one. She bites Amethyst, releases an ungodly screech louder than such a tiny thing should be capable of, and bites her again.

  
  


“Aww.” Amethyst smiles at the Peridot’s aggressive action, not surprising. “She’s just like her other mommy. Ya gonna be a wild child huh? Lil’ gremlin.”

Pearl holds out her hand with expectation, and Amethyst reluctantly passes her along. She’s pale yellow with green hair, a reversal of Peridot’s color scheme. The Peridots feel slightly denser than the Pearls, though they seem to be the same size. The new Peridot grabs Pearl’s nose and growls at Amethyst. She has to admit, it is funny to see. 

“Man, not gonna lie, this is kind of making me want little ones of my own.”

“Absolutely not.” Pearl says, “Carrying those things was an absolute nightmare.”

“Awesome result though, right?”

“I suppose, though I don’t think I would’ve signed up if I knew what it entailed.”

“Peridot’s gonna be psyched that y’all made babies… I’m gonna go tell her -”

“No you can’t!”

Amethyst raises her eyebrows at Pearl’s outburst. “Why not?”

“They’re… she…” Pearl shakes her head. “Just… I want to wait… for a bit.”

“Suit yourself.”

  
  


Several weeks pass, and the last egg, bright yellowish-green in color, doesn’t show any signs of hatching. Returning from a mission - quite satisfying to be able to use her gem powers again - she immediately lowers to the floor and cradles the precious egg in her lap. She sings to it, pouring her love into the tune. The little gems squeak for attention, and Amethyst places them beside Pearl. Their eyes are all opened and they’ll crawl all around if not closely watched. They’re hypnotized by her music. Amethyst wanders off to dig through the fridge.

“Oh my darlings,” Pearl sighs, “I love you so much.”

She’s never felt so full. She just wishes to share this with Peridot, though she also fears her reaction. Though Peridot had turned Pearl’s world on its head when she told her Pearl’s her favorite, Pearl is afraid to trust. Peridot might still see her as a mere Pearl, she might think it’s beneath her to have sired these little gems with her. Pearl could handle Peridot rejecting her, she’s lived for thousands of years with that experience.

She couldn’t handle Peridot rejecting their combined traits given form. Pearl could respect it, if Peridot fused with her and just didn’t like fusion - but this is something else. 

  
  
  


The remaining egg begins to crack. The cracks gradually take over the circumference, leading to it breaking open. A gem floats for a second and takes form. A little Pearl, bright green with pale yellow hair, tumbles into her lap. Incredibly, she’s smaller than the rest - who are quite tiny to begin with. Pearl cups her hand near the gem to keep her from falling. She raises her head as her eyes flutter open. It’s a surprise, as the others took days. Pearl flattens her hand, and the little one crawls onto it. She hugs her own knees and looks downward. 

  
  
  
  


Pearl looks around. Amethyst has disappeared, and Pearl hasn’t seen Steven all day. Garnet emerges from her room, and she gives a greeting nod as she passes. Pearl has seen her playing with the little gems when Pearl isn’t looking, but she’s otherwise aloof.

The sound of the warp pad makes her tense. She gathers the gems and places them in the bassinet. She cradles the newest one against her chest, reluctant to let her new baby go just yet. She’s so tiny and the second Peridot - who Pearl has nicknamed Pear - is kind of a bully. The others have names - Orchid, Pastel, and Peach. She isn’t sure about the new one.

Amethyst, Steven, and Lapis rush forward. Lapis is carrying a cardboard box in her arms with maximal care, each step taken with caution. It instantly speaks familiar to Pearl, and there’s swoop in her stomach.

Did Peridot have gems with Lapis as well? Is she just making her rounds? Will Pearl’s mean anything to her at all?

Amethyst calls for Garnet and Pearl to come over. Pearl keeps her distance, while Garnet instantly joins them. The warp pad activates again, and Peridot appears. She doesn’t look at them, tapping away at her tablet and muttering to herself.

With a flourish, Lapis rips off the blanket. Some of Pearl’s fears melt away when she sees the batch of three Amethysts and two Lapis Lazulis. 

“Ah,” Garnet simply says. “Good for you.”

Amethyst gives a proud grin. Pearl is happy for her, since she seemed to want it so much.

“They’re extremely cute,” Pearl remarks. Though they’re not cuter than Pearl’s in her opinion.

“The gemlings are healthy, no defects or off-color traits,” Peridot says. “So far, everything is according to schedule.”

“Peridot…” Steven says in warning, “We don’t talk like that here.”

“Forgive me I meant no offense, I merely - I’m just saying on Homeworld, they wouldn’t be allowed to exist.”

_ No defects or off-color traits.  _ Pearl’s hopes - what few there are - slightly sink. Her batch isn’t without one of each.

Pearl barks, “Well! We’re not on Homeworld, are we?”

Peridot halts in her tracks as her eyes land on Pearl. Her newborn is hidden by her hands, but it seems that Peridot is distracted by her reformation.

“Did you get poofed?”

Amethyst slaps her knee and cackles. Peridot looks over to her.

“Er I - yes.”

Peridot’s gaze returns to Pearl, and Pearl is pretty sure she imagines the appreciation in her gaze. She needs to not project feelings that aren’t there.

“It’s nice for you,” Peridot remarks. 

Amethyst announces, “Peridot is an expert on gemlings. If you have any questions, she’s the one to ask.”

“That is correct.” Peridot adds, “Look, I know we’re on Earth and that’s great! Gemlings can be free to be whoever they are… like how I don’t need my limb enhancers. I was making an observation, but - but I’m sorry for being rude. I don’t think they’d be less for being different!”

Steven nods while Amethyst claps her shoulder. Pearl smiles. “I understand. I’m glad you’re still trying to learn - change comes from acknowledging your mistakes.”

Inevitably, there is a cry from the bassinet that somehow, Lapis and Peridot haven’t noticed, with their attention focused on the Amethyst-Lapis gemlings. All eyes move to the noise.

Peridot murmurs, “I see someone else got busy…”

Pearl isn’t sure what to do with the furious look that Peridot gives her. The expression vanishes in a second, and Peridot averts her gaze to her tablet. However, she is tightly gripping it and her jaw is clenched.

Lapis places one of the Amethysts back in the box and approaches. Pearl’s cheeks flush, as she knows there’s no way she can deny that the gemlings are half hers and half Peridot’s. Lapis has a sharp intake of breath. 

“Holy hot shit in a fucking meteor!”

Peridot reprimands, “Language!”

“Shut up, I’ve heard you swearing worse at your stupid tablet.”

She turns to Pearl with a delighted expression that makes Pearl nervous. Lapis loudly proclaims, “So you were you going to tell me that you and Peridot tapped gems in a special way, or was I just supposed to find out when I saw the gemlings myself?”   
  


Peridot shouts, “Shut your hell mouth! What the mother fuck of a shit are you even saying?!”

Pearl blinks. Apparently the pair have been spending enough time absorbing Earth culture to casually use human curses. She wouldn’t admit it, but she’s found it satisfying to yell them out from time to time, even if they’re just fairly meaningless words. 

Lapis remarks, “My point exactly… to be honest, I got it from her in the first place.”

To Peridot she says, “You’re a gemling donor to Pearl, you asshat.”

Pearl chokes. Amethyst guffaws, completely losing her cool as she bangs her fist on the table. Steven claps a hand over his mouth, his eyes widening as he turns to Peridot. Garnet is silent and expressionless, but her visor somehow slides off and falls to the floor without being touched. Considering that Garnet already knew since two of Pearl’s gemlings are clearly Peridots, Pearl is sure she somehow made it happen for dramatic effect.

Pearl has never seen Peridot look more shocked. Pearl’s abdomen flutters, as she has the desperate urge to gather her gemlings and sprint to her room. As it is, she’s rooted to the spot. She turns her head away and a few tears escape her eyes. Lapis gently scoops up Peach Peridot and Pastel Pearl to show them off to Peridot as visual proof.

Pearl squeezes her eyes shut and strokes the back of her green Pearl gemling’s head with her thumb. She can’t move, she can’t think, she just wants the floor to swallow her entire body. She jumps - quite literally - when fingers tap her leg.

Peridot recoils with a soft, muttered apology. She opens her mouth, but her eyes move to the gemling Pearl is currently clutching. 

“Um, that’s another one?”

“She just hatched. She was late.”

Peridot tilts her head. “Can - can I hold her?”

“I don’t think you’d want to see her. She’s a Pearl and she’s too small -”

“Nonsense, I’m sure she’s perfect ‘cause she’s yours! Gimme gimme!”

Peridot reaches out, making grabby hands. Pearl’s throat is tight with deep, carnal fear, but she passes her over.

“Be good for Peridot my little sweet pea,” she murmurs. Peridot takes her.

  
  


The room is dead quiet, as it feels like they’re all waiting for the verdict. In reality, Pearl doubts anyone else is overly concerned. Pearl folds her hands and tries to not appear like Peridot’s reaction means everything to her.

The gemling nuzzles Peridot’s fingers and coos. Peridot’s eyes fill with tears that spill over, streaking down her cheeks. “Oh - oh my stars she - she’s so beautiful - I can’t believe I - you - we - made - made this. You’re amazing, Pearl.”

Pearl moves her hand to press against her mouth as she fights back more tears of her own. She notices the others have lost interest in their drama and are playing with the other set of gemlings. Pearl is bowled over with a swell of emotions. 

Peridot nuzzles the gemling in turn with the tip of her nose. “I love you, I love you, I love all of you. You’re just ah - you’re just - mmm. I don’t have the words.”

Peridot looks at Pearl. “Why are you… looking at me like that?”

“I… was worried you wouldn’t want anything to do with them.”

Peridot frowns, appearing affronted. “Are you insane?! Who could look at their little innocent, precious faces and think ‘eh I don’t want them’, huh?”

“Well… I’m just a Pearl… and they’re…”

“No…” Peridot nestles Sweet Pea - it just feels right to call her that - to her chest and steps closer to Pearl, slow and measured. “You’re just… everything.”

“Because I’m your favorite?”

Peridot smiles and her eyes shine. “That and so much more. When I’m with you… I just feel so  _ happy _ , I don’t know why but I don’t need to know.”

Pearl quickly snatches the gemling and gently places her with the others. She surges downward and places a firm kiss on Peridot’s lips, so forceful she nearly sends them both to the floor. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for my terrible sense of humor. Also, I have trouble with the idea of committing to lengthy stories - I know if I try to draw stuff out I'll lose steam and abandon it. Thus, I tend to wrap up my fics with open, happy endings like this and not 20-50 chapters of domesticity and/or plot. 
> 
> For consolation here are visuals I drew:


End file.
